20 stingiest money-saving tips of 2009

Check out these hilarious but genuine money-saving tips from lovemoney.com readers... Warning: you may never look at roadkill and carpet samples the same way again.

Many of you will never forget the great, shock-horror, lovemoney.com penny-stealing scandal of 2009. (Read the comments in this article if you missed it and bear in mind that the controversy leaked into three more articles!)

Aside from that surprisingly hot potato, our unashamedly irregular series on stingy tips, which I had the pleasure of kicking off here in autumn last year, has received entirely glowing feedback. Today, I'm collating the best of the stingy tips to appear on our website this year, be it in articles, article comments or Q&A.

When I say "the best", that requires some clarification! Many stingy tips can actually be useful so, if you're keen, have a rummage through our previous pieces. (There's a list at the end of this article.) However, as it's still Jolly Season, here are some of the most entertaining of the bunch - but not the most practical!

1. At last! A use for hot potatoes

In response to the great penny-stealing scandal of 2009, reader Katnip1100 saw through our intentions in publishing that hot potato of an idea: "What a hoot! I'm impressed with the fiendishly clever tactic of getting so worked up by this article that the blood pressure goes up, thereby increasing body temperature and reducing the need for heating. Fantastic tip!"

2. The best medicine

Popular reader MikeGG1 recommends parsley wine for its longevity. "It still tastes like medicine after 15 years," he applauds.

3. Make a meal of it

hungary advocates sending the kids round to friends' houses around dinnertime. The advice is that it works best if they practice acting hungry first.

4. Join the gravy car

SmudgeButt recommends a recipe book on harvesting roadkill. He particularly likes the tips on when not to harvest: "...either due to excessive flatness or length of time it'ss been baking in the sun." The Christmas price is down £1.12 to just £3.87. Bargain.

5. Invest in stronger spectacles

Strobbie: "I heard on TV recently about a couple who've spent the last 12 years picking up every coin they've found. I believe they're on a total of £360,000! How come in my 50-odd years I've found 10p? I intend to go out with my glasses on next time."

6. Use your leftovers

cgotts says: "Cut up used greetings cards and use the pieces to make new ones. With children going to a dozen parties every year it saves pounds!"

7. One for the elderly?

jbectoplasm hitches free rides: "Hang onto the outside of the bus. It works in India." Anyone know a cheap bus to India?

8. We're just good friends

The delicately-named Snotferatu says: "Take a bath once a year and save £30. Do it with a friend and save double."

9. One root or two?

Snotferatu continues: "Roasted dandelion root is an excellent coffee substitute (and it's de-caf)."

10. Three in a row!

A hatrick for Snotferatu with: "Brew your own beer and wine. You'll save money and you'll save on housing costs when you spend six months in rehab paid for by the NHS."

11. More than one way to use a cat

whiteburn "trained one cat to sit on knee and other to drape itself round neck, saving on heating as I type." Oh, aye?

12. No looking back

debtwagon makes light of the reverse/forward-parking debate: "Choose the far empty corner of the car park, so you can drive in forwards and out forwards. If someone parks in front of you, wait for their return and explain politely but with a suitably raised voice that their thoughtless behaviour replicated over a whole year would cost you...at least 5p probably."

Whilst you're waiting to complain, you could prepare debtwagon's second tip: "A few peanuts and a squirrel trap - Sunday lunch sorted."

13. The lunatic fringe

Jumpexchange recommends you "dont flush every time," but manages to follow that message with: "...and, seriously, don't reuse teabags. Yuk."...Priorities?

14. Milk it for all it's worth

whiteburn tips again: "Save your wee in milk cartons, water down and use as a high nitrate fertilizer. Double save on fertilizer and water."

15. Youth over experience

Kryptonitekid shows that parents may know best, but that's not always enough: "My parents were not happy to have me, three kids, two dogs and a cat move back home, but they couldn't move fast enough on their zimmerframes to stop us. We've saved a fortune."

16. The old Viz classics

invalidusername quotes the magazine: "Save money on carpeting by gluing a square of carpet onto each shoe."

17. More carpet capers

pinkvixen recalls: "As a teenager in the 60s, we moved into a house that dad bought. The 'best room' was carpeted with sample carpet squares. The floor was multi-coloured but looked great and was all done for free because he had gone round the carpet shops and asked for any they were throwing out." Psychedelic stuff.

18. The old thermostat trick

I fear one reader doesn't take this old favourite seriously enough. Here's bimber's take: "I've got the thermostat down to minus 4 degrees. Despite being able to save money by selling my freezer, boiler and radiators, I think the cost of running my industrial chiller unit outweighs the benefits. I'm willing to go to minus 5 degrees but I'm running out of jumpers."

19. Location, location, location

Previously, we've suggested a holiday house swap, but Louise600's circumstances may not be conducive: "I wonder if anyone will ever want a holiday swap to Huddersfield?"

20. Doesn't ring a bell

Simone1969: "used to have a doorbell but decided that knocking would save on the leccy bills." doughtsh wouldn't go that far: "If you're going out, turn your doorbell off."

All readers' tips edited for space and coherence reasons, and to translate them into the Queen's English where necessary.

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